


Absolution

by BabyWithWings



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Blood, Blood and Gore, Gay, Gay Bashing, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Torture, Interspecies, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Kidnapping, Light BDSM, Military, Military Homophobia, Multi, Past Torture, Protectiveness, Psychological Torture, Racist Language, Torture, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-02-25 22:05:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13222176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyWithWings/pseuds/BabyWithWings
Summary: Squadron Victor is two men down. Nya becomes a permanent addition to Squadron Victor. Dennis has to learn how to control Squadron Victor, but struggles taking control out of fear of disrespecting Saadiya's memory.Membrane and Gaz have joined the side of the human race, but the Irken threat rises. Dib must learn to trust his family's intentions, Nya must learn to control her protectiveness, and with the looming threat of losing a baby, everyone is on edge.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: There is a sexual orientated slur thrown called 'ploth' at the end of the chapter, meant to be a rude term that described people who are interested in other species other than their own.

"Fuck, I never knew having a baby would hurt this bad!"

"Didn't you think you had twins?"

"That is irrelevant, Dennis!" 

Squadron Victor was helping Ferran to the medical ward, where Eliza was setting up the delivery room hurriedly. Ferran let out another cry of pain as a contraction hit, but Dib and Dennis took one of her arms and wrapped it around their necks, helping her walk into the room. Brian helped Ferran lay on the bed, and Eliza ushered people out of the room.

"Wait," Ferran gasped out. "Stay. I really need you guys this time. And when Director Greenwell gets word, they can join if they like." Dennis saluted her.

"I'll let Director Greenwell know." Dennis left and Eliza pulled the curtain, put on gloves, then checked Ferran's dilation.

"Oh, Jesus, they're ready," Eliza said. "Zim, I'll need your help here. Get some towels, then give her the epidural. Brian, get her some water." The two boys did as they were told.

"What do I do?" Dib asked awkwardly. Ferran took hold of his hand and squeezed hard as a contraction hit once more, causing Dib to let out a strangled cry and take a knee beside the bed.

"That." Brian helped Ferran drink some water, then set it down beside the bed. He took her other hand, and Ferran squeezed it just as hard. Brian found himself in a similar position as Dib. "Alright, Ferran, push!" Ferran sucked in a deep breath and pushed hard, squeezing Dib and Brian's hands harder. The three groaned in pain. Nya was gently dabbing Ferran's forehead with a cold, wet rag, then upon inspection, began to do the same to Dib and Brian. Greenwell and Dennis walked in, going to Ferran's side, then began to help Dib and Brian, whose hands were getting crushed.

It was hours before the baby was visible. Greenwell, Nya, Brian, and Dib took turns holding Ferran's hands and dabbing her forehead. Dennis and Zim helped Eliza, which turned out to be a very slow and calm job, compared to what was happening further up the bed. Zim watched as the baby's head came out and a cry was heard.

"One more push, Ferran," Eliza encouraged.

"So, Dib-mate, is this what our child experience will be like?" Zim asked suddenly. Dennis began to laugh.

"Zim, I love you with everything I am and have." Zim's chest puffed out with pride and smugness, ego inflating. "But I really need you to shut up right now." Zim huffed, but was distracted when Ferran let out a yell and pushed hard. Eliza cradled the back of the head and, now able to safely do so, assisted in in the birthing. The baby, wriggling and crying, was placed down carefully as Eliza and Zim clamped the umbilical cord. 

"It's a girl!" Eliza said, and those who could applauded. "Brian, would you like to cut the umbilical cord?" Gently taking the scissors, he cut the cord. Eliza smiled and took the baby girl. She cleaned her off and made sure she could breathe out of her nose before swaddling her up and handing her to Brian. 

The world drowned out as Brian held his baby for the first time. She calmed instantly in his arms, soft noises coming from the infant. Brian sat down, in a daze. tears trickled from his eyes as she opened hers. They were a deep brown, just like his. His heart sped up. She was so beautiful. 

"Hello," He said softly, smiling. "I'm your Dad."

 

Everyone left after Ferran was cleaned up, wanting to give the family some time. Zim took Dib by the hand as they walked back to their bedroom, looking forward to a mid-morning nap. 

"So," Zim said softly. "How do you feel about... having a... smeet?" Dib turned a soft pink. 

"Well... I definitely want children..." He replied, giving it some thought. "But... Not right now. As much as I love that kid already, I don't want to bring a child into this war. Especially since if we want to kid to be genetically both of ours, we would need to do some serious research. How do we even know that we can have children? We are different species-"

"Biological rule of mating." Zim cut him off. "To put it blatantly, if the parts fit, the DNA will fit, too. And I think we both know that the parts fit." He winked, and Dib rolled his eyes, still a deep red as they walked into their bedroom.

"That being said..." He said quietly. "I have a much shorter lifespan..." Zim stiffened. This was a conversation he avoided having. He hated the sad truth that he would out live his mate. "But... If there is a way to slow cellular degeneration... I'll do it. I won't be immortal, I need to be able to adjust the rate because I don't want to live forever, but I'll do it." 

"What?" Zim questioned. "Zim doesn't think he heard the Dib correctly... you would be willing to find a way to slow your aging rate?" The reason Zim didn't like talking about this was because he was afraid of what Dib would say if he were to talk about extending his lifespan. Zim had no business controlling how long Dib lived, he would do a lot of things to and for Dib, but that was something that he didn't need common sense to understand that he probably shouldn't do that.

"For you, and for our eventual baby... I would do anything." Zim's squeedily-spooch rattled with excitement and love for his mate. He smiled wide and pounced on him, tackling Dib to the bed and kissing and nuzzling at his cheeks, chirring and chirping happily. Dib chuckled, holding him tightly and attempting to get some kisses in during the attack of love, but it was ultimately futile. 

"Zim loves you," Zim muttered into his ear. "Zim loves you so much."

"Dib loves Zim too," Dib chuckled, kissing Zim's cheek.

"He'd better," Zim murmured, playing with the Orok around Dib's neck. "Unfortunately, he doesn't have much of a choice." Dib's chest rumbled for a second time with a soft laugh.

"These Oroks are proof of a two-way street, my love," He breathed against Zim's antennae, which twitched in response, and Zim turned a soft green. "Maybe I am yours, but  _you_ are also  _mine."_ Zim was never one to be dominated, it wasn't in his nature. He didn't like being pinned down, it made him feel trapped. He liked control, he liked having and taking it, over people, even more so over Dib, and  _especially_  in situations like one he may be in very soon. But it wasn't until this moment precisely that he wasn't the only one with the real power; it always lied with his lover. Dib had the power to say no without words. Zim knew by a simple narrow of the eyes, when he could see the defensiveness as a front for the fear pooling behind those golden storms in his eyes, if, when, and how he crossed the line. And Zim had to be okay with that, because he also knew he held that power, and if he tried to take it from Dib, he would find himself with no power at all. Dib was his power source. Dib was his motivator. Dib was  _his_ _._ He tamed that wild curiosity that settled in the young man's stomach and _made Dib_ _his._ There was a sudden need to tame him again that made Zim's hip stir against his humans'. Dib's breath caught in his throat. This wasn't sweet. It's not the stuff of romantic dreams. It was primal, with a promise of sweaty, with clothes in inconvenient places, the bed smacking into the wall with each movement, grunting and groaning and needing more,  _more;_

 _"More."_ Neither knew who said it, perhaps it was both. This wasn't new, whenever it happened, it reminded Dib of the shot heard around the world. The gun that went off first in the American Revolution; no one knew whose gun went off first, whether is was out of anxiety or anticipation, rage or excitement, only that was the beginning of something  _fucking powerful._ Maybe that's how the universe worked. Maybe it was the same driving force between him and Zim that started a war. Funnily enough, that made complete sense to him. For a long time, their relationship felt like a war. And when it was over, something changed. Dib always thought that it was because the spark of hate went out between them and they both got tired. But now, he knew. There wasn't a spark, there was a flaming fire that burned inside him, inside them both, a raging love and lust. This is what it feels like when enemies unite as one and become an unstoppable force. And went Dib looked into those fuchsia orbs, he saw that fire in Zim's eyes. He longed to be the gasoline to that fire and make them both  _explode._

More in this situation proved to be completely true. More clothes on than they thought made everything hotter, literally and figuratively. It made it feel like it was scandalous. He supposed, in someone else's eyes, it would be. But Dib's cardigan was beginning to feel more like a torture device by the second, as Zim latched onto his pulse, his claws leaving soft red marks against the more sensitive skin on his navel as he fumbled with unbuttoning his jeans. Zim let out a growl. This was not a good position what so ever. He grabbed hold of Dib's waist and pulled him up. Zim knew Dib liked being carried. Even if Dib was taller than him, Zim had grown in the past seven years. It almost alarmed him, he should have stopped growing far before Dib and he ever met, but considering he was only a few inches shorter than Dib, he certainly wasn't complaining. It allowed him to easily lift him and carry him to the desk, setting him down on it, and pulling off those horrible fucking pants, but only just enough. Zim wasn't willing to put in the complete effort of the whole deed. Doing the same for himself, he sat down and guided Dib to sit on his lap, chest to back, and he pushed into him, forcefully, drawing out a satisfied  _"Oh!"_ from Dib's slightly agape mouth, eyes fluttered shut, and leaning back into each of Zim's powerful movements. 

As Zim felt Dibs head fall back onto his shoulder, allowing him a good look as Dib's hands scrambled for purchase. He found it on the arms of the chair, where he gripped tight and held on, knuckles white. Zim would later swear that he could see the healed over fracture in Dib's knuckles. One of Zim's hands moved from Dib's waist to his neck. He didn't squeeze, Dib was having enough trouble breathing as it was, but left it there as a gentle reminder of who was in charge, in this moment, at least. Dib didn't object. Zim bit at his neck, arm wrapping around Dib's hips and trusting harder, and when he breaks skin, the room is filled with Dib's noises of pleasure. 

"Oh,  _yes,_ Dib," He can vaguely hear himself breathe into the tanned skin. Dib was always the more vocal one of of the two of them when it came to mating. He was sure it had something to do with the Irken disdain for not only PDA, but any sort of affection, but now was not the time to think about that, not when Dib was calling out his name like it was the only thing he could say coherently, when he was stretched out over him but at complete mercy to him, when he was so eager to feel like he belonged to someone. He hears Dib's pleas and profanities, and making sure to occasionally check and make sure those pleas and profanities weren't ones derived from pain, fear, or distrust. Zim can tell when Dib is on the edge of that hedonistic chasm, beckoning, begging, breathing in the embers of pleasure, wanton and wanting and  _needing_ for Zim to either push or fall in with him into the inferno of satisfaction that called for them at the bottom of the crevasse. He can tell by his racing heart and racing mind, the frustration when his mouth can't get those thoughts out into the room fast enough or coherent enough to make sense, when he is reduced to such a mess that he just stops trying. When his hips, which are normally rolling into his thrusts, begin to stutter and lag behind the intended beat, when his toes (currently clad in black socks) curl, when  _that_ expression falls over his features, oh, Zim knows. 

And here it is now, pretty as ever, apparent as ever, not one muscle out of place. Dib had his name on those bitten lips when he cried out and fell into the abyss. Zim's ego always inflated when he heard that. No one else had the pleasure of hearing his lovely human cry out their name so lewdly, or see his jaw tighten when he grits his teeth as the bliss crashes like tidal waves, or how his breathing shallows and hiccups with the weight of it all, and -  _Zim's favorite part_ \- when Dib completely deflates and relaxes. Even Zim could see the stars over his eyes when Dib lays, content and well screwed. With four sharp and short thrusts, Zim is falling in after him, his squeedily-spooch humming like a songbird, and just this once he allows himself to groan as Dib had done, calling out his name.

Dib  _had_ to see this. He forced his eyes open, and was utterly speechless. Zim's cheeks turned a green so deep that Dib was sure he popped a blood vessel. His eyes were squeezed shut, tongue, long and pink, hung out the corner of his mouth, just slightly. A thought tore through Dib's mind that made him smile a little.  _He wasn’t happy, no, Dib didn’t think so… Accomplished, more like it. Complete._ _Ecstasy._ This was Zim's look. The one that would be seared into Dib's mind. The one he would hold over his head until he grew confident in it, sexy, even. He loved it when Zim just let go and let himself feel bliss without worrying about him. He was a big boy, he could handle himself. He didn't ned Zim to constantly check that he was doing the right thing (Dib thought he was proving that he was doing the right thing by being so vocal about it). 

Zim's eyes drifted open, looking down at Dib, who held his tongue in his teeth with a cheeky smile, obviously screaming out  _I know what you look like when you're letting go from reality._ Zim pulled him into a messy kiss, full of tongue and teeth, and for a moment Dib thought they were going to go once more, but Zim pulled back with a smirk.

"You completely ruined your cardigan."

"Oh, fuck off." Zim laughed, and Dib rolled his eyes. "You owe me a new cardigan."

"Add it to my tab, Dib-Mate." 

"One day, I'm gonna collect on that tab, and I expect all of it, up front." 

"I will have it." 

"Mm. Sure." Dib pecked his lips, and they were soon detaching themselves from each other and making their way back to bed, throwing off their clothes, and curling into each other. 

"I will have it, you know," Zim told him, wrapping his arms around his lover.

"Baby, no offense, but you would probably ruin that cardigan too."

"I am no smeet child. And technically,  _you_ ruined it."

"You caused me to ruin it, making you the ruiner."

"I could argue with you all night." Dib let out a groan.

"After all  _that,_ no way." Zim smirked a little. He made Dib tired. 

"Goodnight, ruiner."

"Goodnight, gilipollas." Zim snorted with laughter, and Dib buried his face in Zim's shoulder, shutting his eyes to sleep.

 

Red and Purple surveyed their new abode with a wide smirk. 

"Tests have all come back positive, my Tallests," The Technician told them with a proud smile. 

"Good work, Paz, was it?" Purple replied. Kol deflated a little.

"Kol, my Tallest-"

"Sol, we know you wouldn't have shown us this if it didn't work." Red and Purple walked onto the new Massive, troops of Invaders getting in after them. Kol stood there, curled antenna twitching, eyes wide as she gripped the clipboard. Small but mighty, she shook with rage. She put her time and effort into that new massive, she'd be  _damned_ if she didn't get some fucking recognition for it! She felt her small class dig into the papers and cursed, looking down at them. She sighed softly. She was being ridiculous. She shouldn't expect any recognition from the Tallests. 

_You shouldn't expect anything from the Tallests except demeaning mannerisms and arrogance!_

She sighed deeply. She had been ignoring that little voice for years. Thinking these thoughts were prohibited. If anyone found out, she would be labeled defective, no better than Zim and those traitors and Zim's mate. 

"-I'll shoot 'em down. All of them." Kol looked around to see a particularly ego-centric Invader known as Els. "The humans, the traitors, Zim and his  _ploth_ mate." She heard a few people laugh as they walked into the new Massive, leaving Kol looking stunned. She grew up hearing all sorts of  _filthy_ words, but that word - the  _P_ word - was just one of those words you don't say. 

_Especially one that hits so close to home._

Oh, shut up, she thought to herself, forcing her feet to move onto the ship, or she would be left behind, ears still ringing from the verbal assault. She felt the ship take off easily, and they were back in space, but a sinking feeling settled in her stomach the further they rose. Irk, this was going to be a long war.


	2. Chapter 2

The buds of ignorance sprouted like weeds. Once one was there, armies followed.

Ever since Els said it, everyone seems to be saying it. Kol has, thankfully, had to spend most of her time at the head of the new massive, so she didn't have to hear those brutes talk all the time.  _Seriously, did they ever shut up?_ But ever now and again, she'll hear it from her own. Some of the underling techies, letting their artificial ego be stroked when everyone gasps and giggles to feel cool or interesting. They aren't cool, they aren't interesting, they are nuisances to the people with common sense. But the worst part is, she can't say anything. Not to the Invaders, they would have her reported in no time flat, not to the techies, she would lose her reputation. Even if she was their superior, she didn't want to be clinging to just her status.

_That would make you no better than the Tallests. All they have behind their name is an over whelming amount of laziness and hatred for everyone except themselves._

She couldn't argue with that. But she still hated it all. She looked at the stars, and smiled a little. There was a time when she wanted desperately to be among the stars with nothing holding her down. She wanted to explore without any sort of stereotype pinned down on her being. But to do that, she assumed that she would have to had undertook one of the genetic mutations they offered all those years ago. The thought of it made her want to throw up, completely changing to be like a different species but not really, all for what? To spy? She wouldn't have gotten what she wanted through that. She wanted a free life. But now she had to go and make herself important, as the lead technician on the Massive II. She almost regretted it. She could have easily played dumb, but she knew the stereotype against female technicians, saying how they were only good for faulty framework. Maybe that's why not getting recognition from the Tallests pissed her off that bad. Maybe because she was good and she knew it, and they just tossed her aside like all the rest. Like she was an invader.

_Like you were a ploth?_

She felt herself grow nauseous. Hearing herself, or her voice, rather, was horrifying. She wasn't...  _interested_ in other species. She wasn't interested at all! In anything!

 _Maybe_ that  _is the problem._

Kol let herself ponder over this as she walked down the hall toward her charging room. Was this the problem?

_So busy with your work, with nothing and no one to go home to. You devote your life to it, because you can't devote it to anyone else, and that makes you feel trapped. The rebel inside you is sick and tired of seeing you get belittled! You are amazing, you deserve to be told that you are amazing, and you damn well know that you won't find that here! So go and do the one thing you know will actually benefit you, and join the humans!_

Her head was buzzing. That was enough controversial realization for one millennia, thank you very much. She wandered back into her charging room and stepped into her pod, sighing gingerly.

 

When Brian and Ferran didn't come to breakfast the next morning, no one was surprised. Dennis had called off training for the day, so that they didn't miss anything, and Ferran was still healing. But, when Dib and Zim sat down at the table, Dennis began to chuckle again as he remembered Zim's comment.

"So, is that what your child experience will be like?" He asked through laughter. Nya, who sat beside him, began to chuckle into his laughter, picking at the broccoli she was never going to eat. Zim smirked a little, eating his ice cream with no complaint, as Dib remembered the events from last night and turned red, but rolled with being the but of the joke. He just ate his oatmeal with a small grin.

That's when Brian and Ferran came in, baby in Ferran's arms. Nya perked up considerably, looking at the baby. She lightly shoved Dennis over, scooting over so Ferran could sit next to her. Brian sat beside Dib. Nya smiled at the smeet, who was wide awake and smiling.

"Hello, Mai-Smeet!" She cooed, gently tapping her nose. The infant gave a squeal of laughter, and a blanket of happiness fell over all of them. A baby's laugh seemed to be exactly what they needed.

"Mai?" Zim echoed.

"Mhm. Mai Ivory Huong." Zim smiled a little. Mai. A three letter name, just like his, just like Nya- then it hit him.

"Wait, how did you know the smeet's name?" 

"I am the Godmother. And Char is a Godparent." Dib and Zim looked at Ferran and Brian, and it suddenly clicked why they wouldn't have been the godparents. Dib was eighteen and naive, Nya and Greenwell were far less wreckless, their fights didn't lead to fists-thrown, someone crying, and a broken light, not to mention the small girl would probably be more comfortable around a woman and their non binary spouse rather than a man and his male, alien husband.

"Oh, yeah. Okay." Dib nodded and sipped his water. Zim nodded in agreement, following after Dib's train of thought. "Congratulations." Nya smiled and thanked him. 

"You can still hold her, fools," Ferran said, walking over and gently handing her over to Dib. He carefully held her, supporting the back of her head, and his heart leaped. She reached up and grabbed at his glasses. He chuckled, letting her take and inspect them, not even minding the fingerprints on his lenses. 

"Can I...?" Zim asked softly, as to not scare the smeet.

"Yeah, just mind the claws," Brain said. Dib took his glasses and put them on, then handed Mai to Zim. 

Zim held the young girl's gaze. He had never held a smeet before. But this wasn't a smeet, it was... an infant. A baby. A smeet, to him, was a young Irken who could speak, walk, comprehend complicated thinking, and fight for itself. This was a tiny human, and the majority of adult humans can't do what he mentioned. This infant could do even less. It was small, vulnerable, it needed to be protected. It was soft. And squishy. It had no teeth. But there was a sparkle in her eyes, and a soft smile graced her lips. She began to make soft noises, and he grinned a little. He handed her to Dennis.

"Hey," Dennis cooed, holding her like an experienced Dad. "I am your Uncle Dennis. I'm the guy you call when boys get interested in you. I'll take them out, no questions asked."

"Dennis!" Ferran chided as Mai gurgled.

"What? She seems down with it." All eyes were back on the fledgling human as she played with the dogs tags around Dennis' neck. Zim's claw found Dib's under the table, and he squeezed as they shared a smile.

 

Kol didn't need as much sleep as the other Irkens. She had been using her charging pod a lot more frequently to escape from the awful words of Els and his squadron, taking small naps over the days and nights to keep a constant 100% energy. It was her secret to success. But, being awake in the silence of the night had it's downfalls. Because sometimes she heard things she didn't want to. Sometimes she heard the ones who had become aware of the part of themselves that they weren't supposed to, the star-crossed lovers who pretended no one knew they were a couple using the fumes of their energy to make love, the ones who gambled and grew merry on sugar syrup, the ones trading powerful drugs for favors. She was sickened by it all, but it didn't surprise her. She had never made love before, but it sounded pleasant, if a little messy. Everyone needed a stress reliever every now and again. Gambling for power was nothing new, and getting drunk sometimes sounded like an Irk-given gift. The powerful drugs to make people stronger, or at least appear strong, to gain status was also nothing new. But those were the people like Els. The people who were so worried about losing their places, not realizing it was based on height, and there was very little they could do about that without intensive surgery that would leave them completely unable to fight and defend their position. It was futile. She wished they could see that before they did any permanent damage to their PAK's programming. 

She was on her way to her post when she saw that the Tallests were discussing. She kept outside, but couldn't help but overhear the conversation out of pure curiosity.

_"You are sure of this smeet's existence?"_

_"Yes, my Tallests. The smeet is a female human, vulnerable, and incapable of defending itself."_

_"The Smeet's name?"_

_"Mai Ivory Huong."_

_"Mai will do. A little genetic modification, she'll be the perfect Irken."_

_"We will need to obtain the fledgling."  
_

_"Ally 415 will be able to."_

_"Perfect."_

Kol's squeakily smooch jumped. Kidnap a human smeet? That wasn't right! Human smeets were incapable of protective themselves, and they planned to not only take it, but change it? 

_This will not happen._

For once, she agreed with the voice in the back of her head. She walked back to her room, calmly, before closing and locking the door behind her. She walked over to her computer.

"Computer," She said. "Find and make contact with the Human known as Dib Membrane."

**_"Connection found. Contacting now."_ **

 

Dib groaned as he heard his laptop ring. Thinking it was Gaz, he didn't think twice about taking the call shirtless. That's when a small Irken popped up on the screen and he let out a short shriek, grabbing a shirt from the floor and pulling it on. Zim shot up awake at the noise, grabbing the laptop. His eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?!" He yelled. 

"My name is Kol-"

"Who are you?!"

"Ko-"

**_"Who are you?!"_ **

"Zim!" Dib said. "You're gonna give me a headache."

"You get headaches just from standing, with your big head!"

"...Give me the damn laptop, Zim." Zim gave him the laptop and he sat down at the desk, Zim going to turn on the lights. "But seriously, who are you?"

"My name is Kol," She said. "And I have an important message."

"Get to it."

"Is it true that there is a smeet known as Mai Ivory Huong?"

"I'm not answering that." Zim stood behind Dib, glaring daggers at Kol through the screen. She tried to ignore it.

"If it is, the smeet is in danger. There is a spy on your ship-"

"We got rid of them."

"You think the Irken are so dumb to rely solely on genetically modified freaks to gather information about the enemy?" They stiffened. It made sense. "Listen. Mai is in danger. They want to kidnap and modify her to become Irken." Dib's blood ran cold.

"Why can't you just leave us be?!"

"I am only a technician. I can only help you so much-"

"I was only an Invader. Now I'm fighting a war," Zim replied.

"You were an Invader, you would have been fighting a war either way!" Kol snapped. "Listen to me or the smeet is gone!"

"I believe you," Dib said, far more patient than the Irken behind him who wanted to reach into the screen and strangle her. "But you need to convince the Director... Later, though. It's the middle of the night for us. When are you available?"

"Nights are sporadic and short... I will contact you."

"That isn't how partnership works. We must be able to contact each other. At some point, we must meet face to face." Kol paced in thought, trying not to think so much about partnership, and more about scheduling.

"I will find a way," She decided. "Just... keep the smeet safe."

"And Kol?" Dib said.

"Yes?" Dib's eyes turned murderous, tone deep, cold, serious, and dangerous.

"If you double cross me, if the people I love get hurt, I will murder you with my bare hands." Kol felt a shiver of fear run through her body.

"Understood."

"Good." Dib disconnected, leaving Kol stood there, shocked, frightened, and... excited. She felt important. 

_It's a good feeling, doing the right thing._

 

"I cannot believe you!" Zim said as he closed the laptop.

"What? I do think she's trying to do the right thing?" 

"What, and you believed her!?"

"I believed you, didn't I?!"

"That's different!"

"How?!"

"You had affections for me!"

"Those emotion's didn't dictate every decision I made!"

"Did it not assist in changing your mind?!" Dib looked at him and huffed.

"Of course it did."

"Then it is different!"

"Okay, fine it is," Dib sighed. "But I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt."

"Do you know how it will look if we walk up to Ferran and say 'your smeet is in danger, an Irken form the Massive told us so!'? Especially for me? The people on this ship blame me for everything that has happened." Zim cupped Dib's cheeks, worry filling his eyes. "I don't want to bring you into that. I got beat for it. I don't want to see that happen to you." Dib gave a soft, sad smile as his left hand came up to gently hold Zim's right wrist, his right arm wrapping around Zim's waist and lightly pulling him into his lap.

"I'll be alright. I promise. Right now, we just need to report and hope that Kol was being truthful, and keep an eye on Mai... She's being guarded by Ferran, Brian, Dennis, Eliza, Nya, and Director Greenwell. I feel bad for the unlucky soul that attempts to harm her." Zim smiled a little.

"You had better be right." Dib chuckled and lifted him, carrying him to bed and laying him down. He pulled off his shirt and turned out the lights, laying beside him and pulling him close. Zim was always the 'big spoon', because Dib hated the antennae in his face. So, when Dib nestled into the crook of Zim's neck, the antennae dipped down into Dib's hair. He could feel the softness, and smell the green-apple scented shampoo, and he smiled softly, the scent easing him into sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "gloreing" is the intergalactic equivalent to 'Fucking' or 'damn'.
> 
> W A R N I N G!!!! GAY SLUR AHEAD!

"Okay, you're telling me that in the dead of the night, an Irken spy-"

"Kol."

"- _Kol,_ contacted you and told you that Mai was in danger?" Dib and Zim shaved a little under the heated gaze of the Director. After all this time, Dib was beginning to understand why everyone was so intimidated by them.

"Yes, Director," Dib said. 

"And you didn't think to, oh,  _I don't know,_ record it? Wake me up an  _show me_  the Irken? Did  _none_ of this go through your mind?!" 

"You were asleep, Director Greenwell," Zim spoke up. "We didn't want to wake you."

"This would have been an acceptable situation!"

"Not true," Nya spoke up, laying horizontally in Greenwell's chair at the side of the room, cleaning the underneath of her nails with a pencil. "I wake you up all the time, and you get pissed."

"That's because your wake up calls are sharp elbows!" Greenwell snipped. "Seriously, you need elbow pads or something." Nya rolled her eyes.

"I do not have sharp elbows, you have sensitive ribs!" 

"Bulls- That has nothing to do with the matter at hand," They said, turning back to Dib and Zim, now not only agitated, but incredibly annoyed. Oh, Dib knew the feeling well. "Can you contact Kol again?" It sounded very much like Greenwell was holding back hot rage. Dib swallowed.

"Uh, no... She may not pick up."

"Dib, are you not skilled in hacking Irken technology?"

"No, of course I am-"

"Then do it, Membrane! Back hack and force a call!" Dib didn't want to cross them again.

"...Yes, Director Greenwell." Zim felt an angry heat run through his blood. He hated it when Greenwell spoke down to Dib like this. Even though he had done it himself for years, that way of speaking to his lover should be for him and him only. Greenwell would not be able to challenge the mental strength that his Dib possessed, even if he only had a human mind. It was then that Zim began to wonder what Dib would be like with an Irken intellect. His mouth began to water. Absolutely  _everything_  was the same, just... with a more enlightened mind, not held back by the past or worries. Oh, his Dib would be incredibly  _marvelous._

Dib took his laptop from it's bag and Nya moved over, getting out of the seat so he could begin his work, completely oblivious to where his mate's mind was at. Sitting down, he began to back hack from the signal that reached his, and a connection was made.

 

Kol walked into her charging room with a heavy sigh, closing the door and pressing her forehead to the door. Fuck, if her paranoia of everyone knew what she was was bad, it seemed to have  _doubled_  now. Now, not only was she to worry about everyone finding out how she really felt about the p-word and it's usage (and, of course, how it related to her), she had to worry about her being a double agen-

**_"Kol?"_ **

Kol inhaled sharply and spun around, looking at the monitor.

"What the  _Irk-"_

 _ **"My Dib is skilled in Irken hacking,"**_ Zim boasted from behind him. Greenwell shoved Dib aside softly.

 _ **"Are you the Irken known as Kol?"**_ They asked, firmly.

"Yes, Dir-"

 _ **"Is Mai Huong in danger?"**_ Dib's eyebrows raised. No beating around the bush, was there?

"Yes. You still harbor a spy."

_**"Who?"** _

"I dug around in the archives of the hive mind," Kol said, scanning her PAK, and a long wire came out and attached to the computer. "I am sending the translated Irken file your way. Irkens have a tendency to hide their names into their alter ego names. So cross reference this with your fi-"

 _ **"My Dib knows this!"**_ Zim hissed. _**"You underestimate his brilliance!"**_ Dib smiled softly, looking over at Zim. _**"Do not let that get to your colossus head, Dib-Stink!"**_ Dib laughed softly.

 _ **"Yes,** **my Zim."**  _He said, teasingly. Zim turned a soft green.

 _ **"Thanks... Kol,"**_ Greenwell said. _**"We'll contact you."**_ They went to end the call.

"Hey!" Kol snapped, and Greenwell narrowed their eyes at the Irken. 

**_"You heard me."_ **

"No! I am resisting because I didn't get the respect I deserved from the Tallests, and I am  _not_ about to walk right into another Oppressor! Do you know how much I am risking?! I walk about everyday, hearing absolutely  _horrible_ things from the Invaders, about what they are going to do to the humans, to Zim and his p-" She cut herself off. She would have to skip over that part.  "And now, I have to worry about them realizing I'm a _double agent!"_ She whispered the last part. Greenwell looked at Kol, very briefly considering her words.

 _ **"Do you know how much you're risking, talking to me like that?"**_ Kol swallowed slightly.  _ **"Special Intel or not, you don't get special treatment for being a spy."**_ Kol couldn't let this go. Not yet.

"I'm not asking for special treatment," She hissed. "I'm asking for a little respect."

_**"You get respect when you earn it."** _

"Do not mix up trust and respect, Director Greenwell, they are very different things. I don't trust anyone, not the Tallests, not my own  _gloreing_  species, and certainly not _you._ But, I respect you enough to try and help. Trust is earned. Respect is a given." Greenwell looked a little taken aback. Kol used that opportunity to speak. "Now, I am the only spy that you've got against the Irkens. I will contact you when I've got anything."

_**"Is that on your word, Kol?"** _

"I don't understand your human short language."

 _ **"Can I trust you?"**_ Kol gave a little grin.

"Yes, Director Greenwell."

 _ **"Get to it, soldier."**_ The two shared a smile before Kol saluted and ended the call. 

 

"Soldier?" Zim echoed, nonexistent eyebrow raised. Greenwell calmly set the laptop down, closing it.

"She was much like you and Nya... but also, very like Dib," They said, looking up at them. "She demanded respect and some sort of power. But, from what it seems, a damn good reason. She was right, respect is a given. She doesn't need an attitude change, she needs a gentle hand... Something I don't think I realized you never had." Nya and Zim shifted uncomfortably. Greenwell too that as their cue to stop talking about it. She nodded. "Membrane, Sera, you're dismissed." The two left with Dib's laptop.

 

The pair walked back to their room, quietly, after briefly checking on Mai (who was causing Brian and Ferran much grief as they tried to dress her; the two promptly left). Dib set his laptop down, mind hung on something Kol said.  _Zim and his p-_ His what? He looked over at Zim. 

"Do you know what she was going to say?" He asked. "When she was talking about how difficult it was for her to walk around the Massive... about how she heard the invaders saying stuff about you and your... something?"

"I can't know for sure, but I've got a pretty good idea... It's not a good thing."

"Not much is, Starshine. What as she going to say?"

"Me and my...  _ploth_ mate." Zim cringed.

"What?"

"I'm not saying it again, Human."

"What's a ploth?" Zim cringed again.

"It's the same as... I guess it's along the same lines of faggot." Dib's eyes widened.

"Zim,  _don't say that!"_ He said, voice at a whisper out of shock. He never thought he would ever hear Zim say such a thing. He had, of course, been called this many times in his life. It was given, being gay, and at the expense of paparazzi from being the son of the 'smartest man on Earth'. 

"Then don't say... the other thing!" Dib nodded, still shell-shocked.

"Christ almighty..." He murmured. 

"You say you don't have a faith in a deity, and yet you use that. Why?"

"Emphasis," He said, mind processing the new information. "So... why was she bothered by it?"

"What do you mean?"

"She is an Irken. Presumably only a self-aware one, not one that is capable of feeling anything other than rage and satisfaction. Why does that word bother her? It must only seem like an adjective, if she doesn't associate feelings to it." Zim was impressed Dib was able to connect the two together.

"Then perhaps she's a defective, like me." Dib's eyes softened, just as Zim's toughened. "Don't look at me like that, human stink monkey! I do not want your pity! Our connotations of the word 'defective' are different!"

"Zim-"

"Hush!" Dib crossed his arms over his chest, eyebrow raised, now unimpressed rather than pitying.

"Jerk." Zim's defenses lowered at the normal synonym for his name.

"Yes. Good. Back to normal." Golden irises looked up and looked to the right in annoyance. "Do not get annoyed, Dib thing, no pity is better than lots." Dib chuckled.

"You really don't understand this whole human nature thing, do you?"

"Not at all." Dib laughed softly, walking forward and cupping the alien's cheeks, then kissing his forehead.

"Perhaps for the best. One of us shouldn't have pity." Zim grinned up at him, claws gingerly wrapping around his wrists, extending his feet a few inches to reach up and kiss his human.

_Perhaps._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! GAY SLUR!

Kol had the faintest idea why this meting was being held. Invaders, Technicians, assassins, diplomats, and trainees were all asked to be in the large auditorium. By the confused murmur of the crowd, no one else knew why they were here, either. As the tallests made their way on stage, the Irken settled in an uncomfortable silence, and Tallest Red began to speak.

"We have reason to believe there is a traitor in our midst." Kol's blood ran cold "We advise the traitor to step forward." No one shifted. Kol even held her breath (then, her PAK forced her to). "Very well. PAK scans will begin affect of immediately. Be prepared to be called in by the Control Brains at any given moment. Any Voot Cruisers trying to escape will be shot down. You are dismissed." They all walked out, none of them trusting each other. Kol knew she was being followed. She felt eyes burning the back of hr head. 

Once she made it to her charging room corridor, which was completely empty, she spun around, and found herself face-to-face with none other than Invader Els.

"Why are you following me?" She growled. His eyes narrowed.

"Turn yourself in, Kol." She was surprised at the lack of edge or heat in his voice. It was almost... worried. Gross.

"I don't know what your talking about." Her voice was so firm and sure that he almost rethought his actions. 

"I heard you making a transmission. Turn yourself in, they'll be kinder to you-" She scoffed.

"Goodnight, Els." She very his claw wrap around her wrist tightly and spin her around. She went to claw at his face when he dipped his head down and nuzzled at her cheek, chirring softly. She was in shock. Him, of all people, was a defective... just like her. The feeling was a strange one, and she felt a rumbling in the back of her throat, chirping in reply. It was involuntary. Her cheeks turned a dark green and she pushed back, shaking softly and mind dealing with a whole new set of problems.

"I want to court you, Kol," He said., as surprised and afraid as her.

"I..." She couldn't rely on her mind to prove her something to say, it was too busy whirring around, close to simply shutting down. "I need time. There is a lot you don't understand, that I don't think you c-"

"Then teach me. Tell me what I need to learn to be your mate." He was desperate. A small ember of rage ignited within her.

"You need to stop thinking that the only way to get power is through ignorance. You need to stop saying 'ploth' and think it makes you interesting. You need to stop undermining me. You need to stop thinking that Invaders are at the top of the chain. You need to learn how to un-learn, how to un-hear, and not to snitch on people who are doing the productive thing. And finally, learn about personal space. You can't grab me like that. Now go." He was full of determination. It pissed her off, but he'd listened nonetheless. He walked off and she went into her charging room, closing the door behind her. She needed to make the transmission while she still could. 

 

"Okay, Membrane, now turn left-"

"I know what I'm doing, asshat, it's a video game set-up." Dib chuckled, sitting back and watching as Chad Harrison tried to teach Gaz how to fly the fighting drone (lovingly named  _The Demolisher)._ Dib wasn't allowed to teach her, being her older brother. But, that didn't mean he couldn't observe.Harrison looked upset that Gaz was talking to him like that. He was known to be a little... sexist. No wonder Greenwell paired them up - Gaz would destroy his stereotypes. And she was doing wonderfully so far,  _The Demolisher_ was holding up nicely.

"Having fun?" Ferran asked, walking over with Mai in a papoose. 

"Watching Harrison lose his shit over a sixteen year old girl?" He hummed. "Indefinitely."

"Now, right-" Harrison was cut off once more.

"Don't talk to me."

"For God's sake, girl, do as your told and act like a woman!" Harrison snapped. Dib held his breath and counted to ten, reminding himself that Gaz could handle herself. Ferran's eyebrows raised.

"Chad, was it?"

"Yes." 

"If I ever have the displeasure of meeting you after this war, I'll choke you. Trust me, asshole, I'm much worse than a bunch of amy-trained, toddler-height alien fucks. Pray that you die in this war." Harrison's face had lost it's color.

"U-Uh-"

"Get a woman to guide me. Now."

"Director Greenwell-"

"Can talk to me. Make like a man and do as you're told." Ferran unclipped the papoose and handed Mai to Dib, who took her. She walked over and and took the headphones, lightly shoving Harrison aside.

"I think that's where I come in," Ferran said, grinning.

"Ferran!" Gaz said excitedly, and the two got to talking as Dib strapped on the papoose. Harrison, fuming, stormed out, but not before looking at Dib and saying;

"Faggot." Dib stood, stunned. He hadn't been called that in years. He sat down in one of the chairs. Were they not belong name calling? Had they not  _evolved_ enough to the point where that word was unneeded? They were the Earth's first defense, and yet that did not seem to mean... Anything. He was still that weird little gay boy in the back of the classroom that no one wanted to talk to. Still subject to such ugly words, still bad for being in love. He looked down at Mai, then sighed softly. She would be ridiculed when she got old enough to understand it. Mixed races, born before her parents married, a female... her life would not be easy. Not would his and Zim's children. And still, he would fight for their future. In the hopes that have a better life. He had to believe the future of their race would be better than one Chad Harrison. So Dib put on a smile. Someday the people like Harrison would die off like an endangered species, and that was something to smile about. 

 

After telling Ferran where he was going, he and Mai went to his room to decode more of the hive mind. He sat down with Mai, making sure her head was supported before getting to work. That's when he got the call. He picked up.

"Dib, someone knows I'm a traitor-" She said, then looked at Mai. "Is... Is that the smeet?"

"Yeah, he murmured, looking down to the infant. "Anyways, someone discovered you? You don't seem very upset or afraid about it... maybe a little sick or worried."

"Yes," She said, distractedly. "Well... the way the person told me was a little... weird." That caught Dib's attention. 

"Weird how?" He knew that it took quite a lot for an Irken to call something 'weird'. Weird was normally 'human', as far as he knew.

"...There is an invader known as Els, and he was the first to call you that horrible name. He heard one of our transmissions-"

"You don't have sound proof walls?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, in between engine repairs, the indestructible viewing glass, and the accommodations for every single certified irken, I forgot about  _thick walls."_

"Okay, okay, you've made your point. Go on."

"He told the Tallests there was a traitor, not giving my name. There was a meeting and they've started scanning PAKs to find the traitor."

"Doesn't make any sense. Els would have turned you in-"

 _"I was getting to that!"_ She hissed, exasperated. "He approached me after the meeting, told me to turn myself in... I tried to leave, but he grabbed my wrist, and..."

"Did he try to hurt you?"

"He wants to court me. He used primitive Irken affection tactics on me." Dib's eyebrows raised.

"What did you say?"

"No, I think..." 

"Did you want to say no?"

"I don't know anymore... I told him that he had to change his behavior, and... he's going to try."

"Sounds like a decent guy."

"He is not! He is ignorant, ruthless, and in  _invader!_ I am a technician! It would never work! Not to mention that affection is  _very_ illegal!"

"So was Zim." This stopped Kol's racing mind in its tracks. "To me, he was rude, destructive, ignorant, and passive-agressive until he finally exploded. It wasn't until way later that either of us realized we cared about the other. I had no one, and he had even less than that... We grew dependent on each other. When we joined the military, I made him my responsibility. And we never really fought like that again... the rest is History."

"What changed?"

"When Zim found out that the Tallests didn't care about him, he wanted revenge. He learned to trust me, and I, him... We both changed how we saw each other. So, if you are considering dating this guy, you need to put in the effort as well."

"I don't know if I want to..."

"Do you think he can change?"

"What?"

"Els. Do you think he can change?"

"I need to see him change to-"

 _"Do you think he can change?"_ Kol kneaded on her lip in thought.

"...Yes."

"Then he's worth it."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then, we dabble in famous Human Traditions. We watch rom-coms, eat ice cream, drink alcohol, and talk shit about him." Kol cracked a grin.

"Thank you, Dib."

"Go get your man, Kol." The connection cut out. That's when a knock came at Kol's door. Panic filled her. If it was the invaders to take he to the Control Brains... She swallowed hard and stood up, walking to the door, and opening it. There stood her two technician trainees, Cip and Gae. Cip was the first to speak, a shorter girl with ruby red eyes and especially curly antennae.

"Did you hear?" She asked excitedly.

"Hear what?"

"The traitor has been caught! They turned themselves in!" Gae spoke this time, a slightly shorter boy than Cip, with navy blue eyes and straight antennae.

"Who was it?"

_"Els!"_


	5. Chapter 5

Kol's briefly calmed mind began to wisp once more, turning into a wicked storm. She shoved past the technician trainees, lab coat billowing behind her as she ran fast, sliding around corners. She felt tears collecting at the corners of her eyes. Els couldn't be gone, not when she was willing to be his, when he was turning over a new leaf to prove himself worthy. He didn't know that the punishment for trading information was the same as the punishment for thievery, for treason, for lying to the Tallests, for every other law if broken: Death. Els, beautiful, determined, but thick-headed and unwilling to think things through, putting blind faith where it did not belong. But she over thought, she never trusted anyone, she scared herself out of good things out of the thought of it going wrong. Nothing could be as wrong as this, Els going down for a crime that she willingly committed. He didn't deserve that. He deserved more. He deserved a chance to change.

The doors were in sight. Public execution was popular, the death of a traitor was a rare sight, and the Tallests wanted to show what happened to the people who disobeyed their coding. She ran in, pushing people aside to get to the front, being far too short to see above the taller Irkens. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the gruesome scene on center stage. Her mutuals, the people she trained with, had their hands in the inner workings of Els's PAK. It was brutal. It was scarring. And yet the crowd cheered on as Els dangled in silent pain. She supposed they cut off his ability to speak. She went to scream, to tell them to stop, but he shook his head softly. And just like that, she fell silent, for once obeying an order from him. 

An electric shock shook through Els's PAK and he let out a silent scream, and the tears gathered in Kol's eyes once more. They clipped the rational thought wire, and Els began to fight them, trying to get to Kol, but he was held down and the hive mind wire was cut, then the ability to use his body, and Kol felt something in her break. He was stuck in his body, and she wasn't allowed to do anything. She was planted to the spot, still obeying Els's final order. It was then that the life support wire was cut, and the color began to drain from Els' skin. She felt her squeedily-spooch jolt down to the pit of her stomach, and she felt like throwing up. People were beginning to leave, and she stayed a moment longer, not wanting Els' last memory to be her walking away from him. She stayed until his monitoring rate fell flat, and the invaders were beginning to close him up. 

She left with the crowd, blood rushing through her ears as she came up with a plan. She stayed back in the hallways until Els was being carried out, and she followed them. They were planning on taking him to where all the bodies were stored - the furnace. Once alone in the fireplace, she made use of her sharp claws and slashed their necks from behind, not looking as they fell to the ground, blood pooling from their necks, unable to scream. She had to move fast, other wise she would be caught. She too the stretcher and dragged Els to his cruiser, closing it up.

"Set a plot for Arcdion," She told the ship, buckling in.

 ** _"You are not my primary occupant."_** She winced softly. It sounded like Els.

"No, I'm not, but I am an Irken Technician, and I am taking your Primary Occupant to a safe place."

_**"By putting me in danger?"** _

"Are you afraid, ship?"

_**"No."** _

"Then get to it."

_**"I cannot."** _

"Why?"

 _ **"I do not recognize you. I need a DNA scan to recognize you."**_ A syringe-like object connected to a wire came from the console before her. She sighed and picked it up, pricking her arm with it.  _ **"Analyzing DNA. Technician Kol Oan recognized. You have one message from Primary Occupant Invader Els Gor."**_ She paused briefly.

"Plot destination to Arcdion, Ship."

 _ **"Plot set for Arcdion. Estimated time remaining: 7 hours."**_ The ship began to take off.

"Prepare for friendly fire."

 ** _"Preparing for friendly fire."_** The ship sped off, and Kol looked over at Els for the first time. He was still pale. The shields went up just as impact hit, and they went on light speed, shooting out of the star system. Els got out of her seat and fell to her knees at Els' side, tears pooling once more.  _ **"You have one message from Primary Occupant Invader Els Gor."**_

"Play it, please," She said, voice shaking. A hologram of Els' torso showed above the console.

_**"Kol, if you're seeing this, you have taken control of my ship. Whether that be to sabotage me, to get away from me, or to get away from the Armada, I don't care. I know you wouldn't take the ship if you didn't have a good reason, so I'm giving you full control over the ship. But... there is something you should know. I feel something for you. Weird, I know, but... hear me out."** _

"Always," She murmured.

 _ **"I have never been a good person. Since I was brought into life, I was meant to kill. But you make me want to save someone, even if that person is only myself... I have feelings for you... Only one species is known to have put a word to it, and that's the humans. Love, they call it. They describe it as a deep affection for something or someone. But it's more that that. The way I feel about you makes me want to defy the universe to be yours, whether or not we were made for each other... But Kol, no matter what happens, I... I love you. Very much. Be safe."**_ The hologram cut out and she began to cry. The water made her skin burn and bubble, but she looked down to Els.

"I'm not letting you go, Els," She whispered through thick tears. "I am not letting you go without a fight, so you just wait for me, okay? You wait until I can get you back... I'll get you back, Oh,  _Irk..."_ She gathered his shirt into her fists and sobbed quietly into the fabric. "...Don't you dare leave me yet..."

 

Kol had pulled herself together by the time they reached Arcdion, not by choice. The ship shook as the unmistakeable light of a ray began to shoot them down.  _Shit._  

"Ship, give myself and Els disguises, quickly!" 

 _ **"Disguise catalogue displayed now."**_ Two screens lowered, one for herself, and one for Els. She quickly chose the human species, despite hating it. She was going to need this either way. She pressed on a picture for Els, then one for herself. She shut her eyes a bright light was cast on her, and when she opened them once more, she was human. A mirror was dropped before her and she gagged. She had long, slightly frizzy, wavy black hair, pale skin, bright blue eyes, freckles scattered over the bridge of her nose, much like Dib's. She was still rather short, her lips were thin and pale pink. She wore a purple, short-sleeved dress and black high-topped sneakers. Her PAK, which was normally heavy on her back, had now condensed into a silver necklace with an orange pendant. She looked took Els, who had blonde hair. He was taller, his cheekbones chiseled and prominent, lips red and full, wearing a white t-shirt and jeans with sneakers, his PAK condensed into a similar looking necklace, except the pendant was thinner and fuchsia. She blushed faintly, cheeks turning red rather than green. She frowned and looked away. Now was decidedly  _not_ the time to swoon over the dead guy.  _ **"Preparing to dock on Arcdion."**_

Kol held her breath as they docked on the planet below. The windshield opened and she got out, seeing a battlefield. Her eyes widened, multiple guns pointed at her. She held her hands up.

"I don't want to get in the middle of whatever this is!" She said. "I just need to make a transmission. I have a dead partner on board." They lowered their guns, then went to assist her. She let out a breath of relief. 

"What's your name?" A man, skin red and eyes green, tall with horns on his head, and presumably the leader of the group, asked.

"Kolette Leoan. The man on board..." She trailed off, looking down, sadness tugging on her heart. "...He was my mate. His name was Elson Goran."

"I am sorry for your loss. I am Jecka Lockesseck, leader of the Herrenna resistance. We will be glad to let you make a transmission. I assume you are with the Human Force?" 

"Yes. I will be asking them to take myself and Elson back to the main ship." 

"Connection may be spotty, I'm afraid. You better have a good pilot. We are in the middle of a war."

"I can tell. What's going on?" She asked.

"The leaders of our Mosques have made people pay taxes. I refuse to believe that is the stuff of Gods." Kol nodded as Els's body was brought out from the ship, and they made their way back to the fort. Kol approached what looked like a very old version of the Irken transmission boards. She got to work with practiced ease, forcing a connection with Dib's IP address.

 

Dib was in the middle of training with Squadron Victor when he got the call. 

"Dennis, this could be important-"

"Yeah, I know, go to Greenwell this time." Zim looked to Dennis, eyes asking if he could follow his mate out as Dib answered the call. "Nice try, but you can't follow him all the time." Dib chuckled as Zim huffed, and he walked out. He was surprised to see a small human, with a fuzzy definition, in what looked like a war zone.

 _ **"Dib, it's me,**_ **Kol _ette_. _"_** Dib nodded in his understanding, walking into Director Greenwell's office. 

"Director, It's Kolette." He said, placing down the laptop. Greenwell walked over. 

"Where are you?" Greenwell asked.

 _ **"Arcdion. I have Elson with me. We need immediate pick up, it's urgent. Elson is dead. But Arcdion is in a war, you'll need your best pilot and a small pod."**_  

"Send us your coordinates, I'll have Squadron Victor come to rescue you."

 _ **"Bring your Doctor... I believe I can save him."**_ Dib's eyebrows raised.

"Kolette-"

 _ **"Please."**_ Dib nearly fell out of his chair. The very last thing he thought would happen to him was hear an Irken ask for something politely. Even when Zim asked to borrow one of his shirts, it was more of an order than a question.

"Okay," Dib answered, before Greenwell could speak. "We'll make it work. Sit tight, keep safe."

 _ **"Thank you."**_ The transmission cut out. Greenwell closed the laptop and glared at Dib.

"You are not in control here, Dibble."

"I know," He said. "But you don't understand-"

"What I do understand is that Kol Oan is an Irken traitor, trying to necromancy her way out of mourning the loss of her lover! And now, she's asking for our  _best_ pilot, and one of our few Doctors, to go rescue her from a war zone!" 

"Director Greenwell, pl-"

"No, I am not risking you guys!" Dib stood up.

"Charlie, we knew what we signed up for!" He yelled back. "This is the army, we knew this wasn't going to be easy, or fun! Not even Zim has been so respectful as to say please to me in the last two years! Kol needs us, and you are planning to abandon her! I'm not going to let that happen!" He stood tall. "Director Greenwell, I'm afraid to say this, but we... I, am going to follow through with my promise. With or without your permission." Greenwell stared at him for a moment, mulling over his words.

"Fine." They took a step forward. "But is you turn out to be wrong about Kol and Els, it's on you, and I will not hesitate to send you back to Earth." Dib swallowed slightly.

"Understood, Director Greenwell."

"Go tell your team. Get your sister to have remote control over your pod." Dib saluted before leaving, taking his laptop with him. 

 

Dib was shaking slightly in his anxiety as he walked into the training room. He set down the laptop.

"Dib?" Zim called slightly, recognizing the state he was in. Six years teaches you a lot about someone. "Are you alright?" The team looked over to him.

"We have to go rescue Kol and her dead courtship partner from a war zone," He said.

"What?" Dennis asked, stepping off the treadmill. "Greenwell didn't fly this by me."

"It was just decided on. Daskerand will be joining us, too. Gaz will have remote control over the pod - apparently we need our best pilot." Zim walked beside him.

"Who's gonna watch Mai?" Brian asked, lifting his infant from a play pen on the side of the room.

"Greenwell, I'm guessing," Dib said softly.

"When?" Nya chimed in. 

"Soon as possible."

"Is anyone else gonna bring up that this will be the first time on the pod without Saadiya?" Ferran asked quietly. A blanket of silence fell over them, and Brian wrapped his arm around her as Dib's hand reflexed and found Zim's. Dennis worried on his lip.

"I know this will be difficult for all of us," He said, choosing his words carefully. "Saadiya was the best Captain we could have asked for. But we knew this day would come. She would want us to save Kol, and so would Milano." The team nodded their agreement. "Dib, how fast can you give Gaz remote control?"

"It'll only take a few minutes."

"Alright. Wheels up in forty." 

 

Dib and Zim were in their room, packing for what very well could be another six month ride, when Zim felt Dib's hands on his waist, and familiar lips on his neck.

"Dib-mate, we can't-"

"Zim," He breathed softly against his antennae. Zim shivered softly. "I love you so much. But I am not about to go another six months without sex. Technically, I am still a teenage boy. You know how hormones work."

"I also know those hormones leveled out when you were 16."

"Not my point, lover."

"We don't have much time-"

"Then let's make it count, my Tallest." Zim turned a deep green.

"Dib, that's  _treason-"_

"Would you rather my king?" He purred. "My almighty Zim, ruler of worlds? The embodiment of perfection?" His lips grazed over Zim's nape. "My  _weakness?"_ Zim growled softly, putting down the shirt he was folding.

"Get on the bed. I'll make quick work of you and your persistent need to be mated." Dib grinned, pulling off his shirt and undoing his belt as he followed his command.

 

Dennis walked into the medical ward, where Eliza was doing inventory. She looked up, smiling at her Fiancé.

"Hey, Denny," She cooed, pecking his lips. He smiled, arms wrapping around her waist.

"Hello, Baby." His kissed her forehead. "I have word from up above and we need your help."

"Is someone hurt?" 

"No, but we've got a dead Irken spy. Kol says she can save him. We have to rescue them from a war zone."

"Alright. I'll figure it out." She kissed her cheek and got the life-support machine ready.

"You're not... worried?" He asked.

"I've worked on war zones before. I know how bad this could be. Are you?"

"Honestly?" Dennis sighed. "... A little." Eliza put her things down as he sat down. She sat in his lap, rubbing at his shoulders.

"Talk to me, sweetheart."

"I'm afraid that I'll overstep my boundaries. Saadiya was the best."

"Saadiya, although it pains me to say this, is gone. She was a smart woman, and she left you in charge for a reason. Stop worrying, because now you have to make some tough decisions pretty soon. And there isn't a doubt in my mind that you will do just fine." She smiled softly, and he smiled back.

"I love you, Elizabeth." 

"I love you too, Dennis." He pecked her lips and brought her into a hug.

 

Nya reluctantly pulled from Greenwell's kiss for a final time. 

"Brian and Ferran will be here soon to drop off Mai," She said softly. Greenwell sighed, pressing their forehead to Nya's.

"I know..." They murmured. "I love you so much... If anything goes wrong-"

"Nothing will go wrong. We get in, get Kol and Els, and get out. Simple."

"You're going into a war zone."

"We are already in a war zone. It just looks a little different." Greenwell sighed once more. "Hey," Nya hummed, tilting Greenwell's chin up. "I love you." Greenwell smiled softly.

"I love you too." Nya kissed their forehead as a knock on the door sounded. The two pulled away and Nya opened the door, seeing Ferran and Brian holding the sleeping baby.

"Mai tends to get hungry at night," Ferran said, worried as she looked down at her infant. "The nutritionists know her schedule. The crib will be moved in shortly, make sure that she sleeps nine hours at least, nap time is at 13:30-"

"Ferran," Greenwell said softly. "Don't worry. I'll protect her with my life. I'll never let her out of my sight." Ferran took a breath, Brian gently rubbing her back as she handed Mai to Greenwell. "I'll be sure to FaceTime every day."

"Thank you, Director," Brian said.

"It's my pleasure. Stay safe." Nya pressed a kiss to Greenwell's cheek one final time before the three left.

 

"Almost ready?" Dennis asked as Dib programmed, obviously having some trouble sitting in his chair.

"Almost and... done!" Gaz, who had been on FaceTime, looked at a separate desktop as it pinged.

"Got it," She said. "Seems simple enough." 

"Awesome. Can you hover a little to make sure it works?" She pressed a button, and it hovered off the ground. "Great. We'll get settled in and let you know when you're clear." the team got in, helping Eliza pack in her medical equipment. After making it secure, they got in and buckled up, Dib shifting a little again, blushing faintly. Zim smirked, sitting beside him, but pretending not to notice.

"Go for launch," Dennis said, buckling in. The latches closed and sealed airtight, and the hatch to the vacuums of space opened. Gaz moved them out into space, setting a plot for Arcdion. 

No one spoke.

 


	6. Chapter 6

The sound of landmines and people dying in agony was a very common thing to hear as Kol waited for her rescue. She didn't understand how Els could stand it, how he was programmed to withstand this. Those encryptions must have been intense. That thought made her worry about whether or not she could replicate it. Bringing someone back from the dead had never been heard of. People mostly just left the traitors and defects to stay dead. But she knew that if she had the right tools, she could recreate Els being called into training, and everything would be fine... 

Presuming that his memories are still intact.

And that he would still be defective.

She worried on her lip as she paced in the bunker. What if she couldn't do this? What if when he came back, he hated her for what she did, and now he had to go into hiding because of her? What if the humans were trying to imprison her? What if this whole thing was a mistake, and she was destined to live a life in the shadows to avoid being hunted down and killed by a species she was disowned by, a man that she loved, and a species that she wanted to help? Fear filled her to the tops of her antennae. Was she just over thinking, worrying over nothing? Was she part of the problem or solution? Well, now it didn't matter. Now she needed to survive. 

 

"You are absolutely fucking kidding." Gaz's voice shook Zim awake. Judging from the haze worry he saw written all over Dib's face (which was a familiar sight. Zim would sometimes wake up and go to the restroom, and if he didn't return quick enough, Dib would start calling his name. At first it was cute, now it was annoying), he had fallen asleep, too. "That cannot be where she wants us to go." Dennis sat up and looked out the windshield.

"Are those the coordinates?" Zim could hear Gaz rolling her eyes.

"No. I went off course and brought us to Hell. Enjoy your stay." Dib cracked a grin. "Wake up and smell the river Styx! This is a suicide mission!" 

"Mija?" A voice asked. 

"Not now, Dad-"

"Dad?" Dib asked, getting up and out of his seat, walking toward the monitor.

"Son?" Membrane asked, walking into Gaz's room. "Where are you?" He glances at Gaz's view. "Why are you going there?"

"It's a long story."

"This Irken spy-chick named Kol is trapped down there, we need to get her," Gaz said, boredly.

"Oh. Then get her."

"Easier said than done, old man," Dennis said.

"The only thing holding you back is the idea that you can't," Membrane sighed. "I know you miss your Captain. But Dennis is your Captain now. I've seen you all do amazing things, this is a simple mission. Get in, get your spy, and get out." The pod was quiet, all listening intently, and Membrane smiled at them. "I believe in you, even if you don't." New found confidence filled Dennis as he spoke.

"Go forward with the plan, Gaz." Dib got back into the seat, and Gaz took off, Membrane taking a seat beside her.

 

The landing was bumpy, but they ended up next to the Voot cruiser. After a scan, they put on oxygen masks, seeing that the atmosphere was too thin for humans. They strapped the banks onto their backs and stepped out, then they were led into the fort. A man, towering at at least 7'4", red with horns, walked over with suspicion. 

"I am Jecka Lockesseck. You are the human comrades of Kolette and Elson?"

"Yes. I am Dennis Clay," Dennis spoke, stretching out an arm for him to shake his hand. "Thank you for keeping them safe while we assembled."

"It was no burden. But what are you wearing?"

"Armor," Dib lied. He knew that Kol wouldn't need the oxygen masks to survive. "Filtrates the Carbon dioxide in the air. Not necessary, but a good thing to have." Suspicion leaked from the commander's face, but it quickly turned into anger when his eyes fell upon Zim.

"You are harboring an Irken?!" He bellowed, and a flurry of guns were pointed at the Squadron. Dib laid a protective hand over Zim's PAK, eyes glaring and narrowing. 

"This is my mate. He is a traitor to the Irkens."

"Oh, so you're ploths?" He growled. Zim grit his sharp teeth, hissing like a cockroach. Ferran raised her hand gun and pointed it at Jecka.

"Call them that one more time and I  will put a bullet in your head."

"Tch. The female lies. She is too small, too early out of maternity. Her baby is pro-" He was cut short by the twitch of Ferran's finger, pulling back her trigger. The bullet cut through the thick skin like a hot knife against rubber bands, digging through the epidermis and bone, and lodging into the brain. He fell to the ground.

"Holy  _shit,_ Ferran!" Nya exclaimed, grinning.

"No one talks about my baby like that," She responded, simply.

"Seize them!" The second in command ordered. It was a shorter man, deep blue and looked rather sweaty. Guns fired and bullets flew with laser beams.

Squadron Victor tried. They fought with all their might, and they almost won, too. Eliza went down first. Unconscious after getting shot with a dart, then Dennis soon after, when he went to save her. Brian took a dart for Ferran, who opened fire until the bullets ran out. Arcdionians lay on the ground, dead, but with no defenses left, Ferran was shot with a dart, and she collapsed to the ground. Dib, Zim, and Nya remained. Zim ran for Kol and Els, but Kol was already unconscious and Els was still very dead. He was shot with a dart in the neck. His PAK held off the effects, but the race for Zim's conscious state was a losing battle as he fell down, eyes heavy but forced to remain open. 

"Zim!" Dib cried as he watched the events unfold, and ran over. "You'll make it, right, Beetle? You'll be fine?" Zim grinned, but the tiredness was beginning to pool in his eyes. It was a dumb time to think of this, but Zim looked beautiful when he was falling asleep. It only it didn't feel so permanent.

"You worry too much, you big-headed Colossus." He voice was weaker, more trained. "This will only knock you out. You need to worry about..." Zim's eyes began to go unfocused and drooped in tiredness. His eyelids sealed shut and Zim fell asleep soon after.

"Zim," He said, shaking him softly. "I swear to Christ, I will not hesitate to slap you!" A sudden pinch on his back had him suddenly feeling like he had run seven miles. He crashed, laying next to his lover with an arm over his chest.

Nya put up the best night she could, angry tears in her eyes as she fought around her sleeping friends. The dart, after a tango with beans and darts and sparks, hit her in the heart and she fell back, looking up at the ceiling for the fort. Guilt and resentment settled over her heart and stomach, the tears that had collected in her eyes falling to the corners of her eyes and dripping down her lower temples, and collecting at the crevasse where skin met her lobule. Her mind faded into sleep, eyes closing softly.

 

Dib woke in fear. He was alone, chained to a table. No, a desk. Ms. Bitters' desk. He looked around, and laughed. He was in school. Of course.

"I know what a simulation looks like," He called out. "So reveal yourself, and lets get this over with." A shorter Arcdionian appeared.

"You are more clever than your team," She said. 

"That's up for debate. It was my own damn fault we're here." She clicked her tongue, and Dib's shirt was off, leaving his Orok on against his bare chest.

"You're sweet," He said. "But I'm spoken for, and I normally have a safe word."

"I am well aware of your mate. And you are sick if you think I would ever do that with the likes of  _you_ ," She hissed. 

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I am not!" 

"You definitely are." She growled and a dagger, long and black, appeared in her hand.

"I am gonna make you bleed." Dib laughed once more.

"I am mated to an Irken that enjoys biting me with his sharp-ass teeth. I bleed pretty often."

"But you've never died." She pressed the blade to the left side of his abdomen. It was cold. "The beauty of a simulation is that you an feel death without actually dying. And I can bring you back for more." She sliced his skin open smoothly, like a spoon through pudding. Dark red blood rushed to escape through the opening, and it gushed down his side. He held back a yell, holding his breath as she attacked his stomach and chest, even dragging the blade up his chin. He could feel the metal against his bone, sharp enough to split atoms. Hot human sanguine fluid warmed his torso and neck. They made eye contact and he glared.

"Go to Hell," He hissed. She didn't give much of a reaction.

"Hmph." She raised her dagger and shoved it through his chest. Skin shred, muscle torn, bone chipped, lung popped and choking on his own blood, he felt his own heart give out. His whole body shook and his eyes turned red as his eyesight went black, adrenaline running high until everything was suddenly...

**_Gone._ **


	7. Chapter 7

Dib woke with a gasp, hyperventilating. He swore at the soreness in his heart until it calmed down, the lactic acid build up easing into an mildly uncomfortable and majorly annoying ache. It was different this time around, instead of chained to his teacher’s desk, his hands were bound together above him and a rope connected him to the ceiling. The torturer stood before him, eying his Orok.

“These things always were primitive to me,” She said, walking forward and reaching out to grab it. Dib growled, grasping onto his rope and straining his shoulders when he lifted his legs and kicked her back into the desks, a loud clatter following as she fell.

“Don’t fucking touch that.” She grinned as she stood back up. 

“You are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.” She went to grab it again and he wrapped his legs around her neck, choking her.

“What is this place? Why are we being tortured?” He growled. “Where are my friends?!” 

“You are making a mistake!” She grunted, clicking her tongue, and suddenly Dib was coughing, choking up something. He hung his head and coughed up water. “You always felt like you were drowning in here, didn’t you, Dib? In useless information, in embarrassment, in  _ shame,  _ because you knew that your father wanted you to be good at what Ms. Bitters was teaching you, but what you wanted was sitting on the opposite side of the room.” He felt warmth grow up his cheeks and the woman dug her claws into his thighs. “No matter. You’ll be dead in eight minutes, anyways. Again.” He flipped her off, throwing up more water. She gave a chuckle. “You are going to be very fun, Mr. Membrana.”

 

Dennis knew exactly where he was. He was in Syria. But why? He walked down the bustling market streets. It all seemed so… familiar. But he was damn sure he had never been to Syria, not even when he was in the Earth Military. The hot sun beat down on his neck and he turned when he heard faint gun shots. Assault rifle. He ran off in its direction, despite feeling disdain toward his impending situation. He ran into a house, where a woman was screaming as she held her daughter, who was bleeding on the ground. She had been shot. 

“أطلقوا عليها النار!” The woman cried. 

“Jael,” He whispered, sitting beside her. The Syrian girl looked up to Dennis, raising her hand to cup his cheek. 

“Dennis,” She murmured back. He could feel the tears on his cheeks. The mother of his Elijah had been shot. 

“Elijah… my sweetheart… How is he?” She asked, brown eyes searching over Dennis’ features.

“He is happy, at home, where you should be,” He heard himself say. He had been here before. He lived this. Jael smiled. He almost smiled back. 

“I am home,” She said, hand sliding down to rest against his heart. “I am home when I’m with you…” Her eyes became glassy and she let out a soft sigh, jaw falling slack as she finally lost too much blood to be saved. He began to sob, hugging her mother who came around to embrace him in a comforting hug that mothers gave. His eyesight went white, and for a second he thought he had squeezed his eyes shut too hard, but object formed in the white, and he found himself back in the street.

Faint gunshots.

Once more, he ran.

 

Nya woke on the main ship, Greenwell’s arm draped over her waist. It was a dream. Oh, thank Irk. She turned in their hold, cuddling into them softly, and nuzzling under their chin. Greenwell hummed softly, smiling. 

“Good morning,” They said, sleep laced through their voice, hand sliding up Nya’s back to run through her hair. They planted a kiss on her head.

“Morning…” A sudden and sharp shock hit the ship and they sat up, worried. The climbed out of bed, hurriedly getting dressed before running out to meet the teams. They hurried to their stations, when she noticed that Zim wasn’t among them. “Where is Zim?” She asked. Dib looked at her bitterly.

“He left us, remember?” She could see the cracked Orok around Dib’s neck. She went quiet.

“Sorry, Dib…” He scoffed and turned his back. She could see the tears in his eyes, and guilt weighed heavy in her heart. She hated human emotions. She went to her station, ignoring the dirty looks her Squadron gave her. She saw the Massive readying something that she couldn’t quite make out… until she saw it open up. Bright green lit up the universe and she tried to steer away, but it was too late. She felt herself get torn apart, and she heard the screams of everyone in the control room, and hot, angry tears fell down her cheeks as the cold vacuum of space pulled her into death.

She woke on the main ship, Greenwell’s arm draped over her waist.

It was a dream.

Oh, thank Irk…

 

It was dark, and every now and again, Brian ran face-first into a wall. He used his hands to navigate, feeling concrete on his fingertips as he searched for an opening. He was fairly certain he was in a maze, but his adrenaline was running high. He had always been afraid of getting lost in mazes. But this time he knew for sure that something,  _ something,  _ was following him. Chasing him.  _ Taunting  _ him. So he did what any normal person would do; run like hell. He needed to find Ferran and Mai, he needed to get to his team, to Greenwell, to someone who he knew.

He knew he was still on Arcdion, the Hell planet. He wanted to be upset with Dib for asking them to come along, but he could never stay mad at the kid… Oh, Mai… He kept running, growling when he ran straight into stone. He kept in his yell of frustration to keep the thing following from hearing him. His nose throbbed, and still, he ran, eyes beginning to adjust to the darkness, though it didn’t make much of a difference. He just needed to put some distance between him and the monster before he could stop to breathe.

 

She was sat in what reminded her of the interrogation room of the main ship. Greenwell walked in, looking suspicious. A sinking feeling settled in Ferran’s stomach.

“Director Greenwell? Where is Mai?” She asked.

“How long have you known?” They hissed.

“What? What are you talking about?” 

“About that chip in your head! How long have you been transmitting to the Irkens?!”

“What?! Director, you know that I can’t-”

“I don’t know anything about this species, but I do know that you are one of those mutated freaks, and I know that if I were one of you, the first thing I would want to do is make people trust me. Maybe even love me. And trust this, Irken, Brian Huong is being just as heavily interrogated. So tell me now, just how long have you known about that chip in your head?!”

“Since we found out about it!” She exclaimed. “Since Dib found the irregularity!”

“You had to have known, otherwise how would Kol have known about Mai? How would they still be getting their information?!”

“I don’t know!” 

“I’m sure you do, Ferran,” Greenwell said, eyes narrowing. “No one else has an irregularity except for you.”

“So you’re just going to believe that the Irkens are beyond stowawaying spies?”

“When the stakes are so high? Yes.” Ferran scoffed.

“No way. That’s what they want you to think.”

“Oh, so you know there is a stowaway?”

“...No.”

“Then I have to believe that you are the spy.”

“I am not!”

“You don’t fool me, Ferran!” Ferran’s eyes filled with tears as Greenwell turned and left, slamming the door behind them. 

 

Kol had found herself entering the human ship, mind already critiquing they engineer work. She would definitely want a crack at it, knowing she could single-handedly repair and rebuild the ship to be one that tops even the new Massive. That’s when she felt a hand pull her back, and she looked up, seeing Dennis.

“You shouldn’t have come here, Kol,” He hissed. “You are one of them, you are still linked to the Hivemind.”

“What? No I’m not,” She said. “I got myself out of the hive mind years ago! Do you know how difficult it is to be defective without controlling your own thoughts? It’s impossible.”

“I don’t know that, now do I?” 

“Dennis-?” He brought out his shot and pointed it at her head. 

“Goodbye, Irken.” She ran off, bullets flying as more people ran after her, hot tears burning at her skin. She heard yelling as she grabbed for Els’ body, but it was being wheeled away from her. 

“No!” She screamed, launching forward to grab onto the back of Dib’s lab coat, who spun around and socked her across the face. She flew a good few feet before landing on the floor and sliding across it. She rubbed at her cheeks, looking up at them fearfully, tearfully, as they cornered her against the wall.

 

He hated this place. Far too many times he felt overemotional, humiliated, afraid... The stage on which he was exiled, twice, once on a false mission, with false hope, and GIR... Oh, he missed his robotic friend... But he was made of garbage. As amazing a friend as he was, one day he went to sleep mode, and he never rebooted. But it was empty in the main room of the Massive. Zim felt incredibly small despite being alone. 

He remembered vaguely the party the Irkens had after conquering their first planet. The sadness that settled over him like a blanket of snow, and the hot guilt that pooled in his abdominal organs, the anger in his squeedily-spooch... It was overwhelming. Cheering and celebration left his antennae ringing. He remembered stumbling to his charging room and crying, and crying harder when he felt it hurt him. He was only a smeet.

But that was his job, smeet or not. An Irken was an Invader, and an Invader followed their programming with no remorse. He should have taken the hint that he wasn't an Irken then and there. Maybe he and Dib would have met and gotten over their qualms sooner. Maybe the Earth would be safe to return to, safe from harm. Maybe he and Dib could be happy together, settled down, with an... an infant. Not a smeet. A baby.

Or maybe none of it would have been different. Maybe it would have been worse. Maybe Dib would have never made it out of that asylum sane. Maybe Dib would've never made it out of that asylum  _alive._ Or worse, maybe Dib came out as dumb and dazed and oblivious as the rest of them. Maybe Dib would have followed in his father's footsteps into Science, growing out of the so-call paranormal. Maybe Zim would have been destined to live a life of pain with no Dib, No Nya, No Dennis, or Eliza, or Ferran, or Saadiya, or Brian or Milano... No Mai... No future infant... nothing. Zim would have had nothing and no one to live for, and his PAK would have felt like a prison, forced to live a life he hated. Or maybe he would still be trying to take over the humans, endlessly trying to take over a losing battle.

Zim just sighed, and looked on.

 

Eliza was not in a simulation. She was with Arcdonians, her medical degree giving her a leg up. She had a plan. When the Arcdonians went to sleep, whenever that was, she would find a way to get them out of those simulations. Only one problem: she had no idea how. Alien tech was more Ferran and Zim's thing. The room where they were held was under constant surveillance. They only time they were left unguarded was during lunch, and even then it was still difficult to sneak by unnoticed. Contacting the main ship would be an even more difficult feat, and with the looming threat of running out of Oxygen over her head, the pressure was on, and time wasn't on her side. Her team was depending on her.

She had to get this right.


	8. Chapter 8

It was all about timing.

It starts with counting the minutes that pass during lunch breaks. How often nights are. How many go to sleep and where, for how long. How much trust she could gain, how hard that trust would be to betray when it comes time to do so. But she needed to find an opening, somewhere. Someone was destined to mess up. She had to be prepared to pull off the most elaborate and dangerous escape the U.S. military had ever seen.

No pressure.

 

Dib hissed as he woke, the initial adrenaline more of a burden than a rush.

"What do you want me for?" He growled.

"We want to know why the Irken is with you." The woman hissed back. "Irken experimentation with DNA is no secret. And you are doing fine under alien medicine."

"I am not a mutant," He said. "Look at my life! There is a reason I am immune, but it isn't mutation! And that still doesn't explain why you chose me, presuming my team is still alive." He didn't like entertaining the thought they were dead, or worse.

"Your team is fine. We chose you because you are the leader."

"No, that's Dennis."

"No, you're the real leader," She said, annoyance laced through her words. "Was it not you that assembled your team to rescue Kolette?"

"That was a special case-"

"No, it isn't. You take charge! You are the leader! Even  _Saadiya_ couldn't keep you tame-"

"It wasn't her job to keep me tame! And you don't deserve to speak her name!"

"Oh, it wasn't, was it?" She asked, picking up a serrated knife and approaching Dib, who lay chained to a medicinal bed. It reminded him far too much of the asylum. "Then it was Zim's. We've seen into his mind, Dibble Jeronimo Membrana, we know what he thinks about you. When you're hurt, when you're apart, when you're happy, when you're mating-" 

"Shut up!" Dib demanded, warming creeping up his neck. Those memories were private.

"Struck a nerve, did I?" She hummed, seemingly unbothered by his tone. She dragged the knife across Dib's inner arm, but not enough to cut. "He thinks that he's tamed that, and I quote, 'wild curiosity' inside you. He thinks that you belong to him, that he is lucky to see you in such a vulnerable state. He believes that everyone needs to know that you belong to him, that people should be jealous. He mind never calms, even in those... intimate moments. And you-"

"Don't you dare-"

"-You are so caught up in emotion. Your minds stops and you simply exist in the moment, reduced to little words and grasping hands and uneven breathing. How primitive. I don't understand how ploths do it, how even though your minds are wired differently, you still manage to do things like  _mate."_ She made a disgusted face. Dib, though thoroughly embarrassed, narrowed his eyes at her.

"The very last thing I want is for you to understand. Because when you understand it, you'll think you can change me." She chuckled.

"I don't need to understand you to try to change you. But that is not what I want to do. The way I see it, once a ploth, always a ploth."

"Good, cause it's true." The woman grit her teeth. 

"You're disgusting." Dib grinned.

"And you're a closed-minded, ignorant bitch. Guess that makes us even." She sliced his arm open, and he clenched his fist, hissing through his teeth.

"We are not even. We are not  _equal!"_  

"Not the first time I've heard that. Get some new material, fucker." She growled and dragged the blade across his throat swiftly. Unable to scream, Dib passed out due to the pain, and bled to death quickly, dark maroon-red oozing from his open arteries. 

 

Eliza watched as the twin suns set over the mountains, anxiety settled in her stomach. She had been tending to Arcdonians all day, and sleep was calling her. But, she took a Modafinil pill to battle it. She heard people settling into charging pods and she made her way toward the room that she knew held her team. Her feet made quiet noises against the floor, which sounded like wood but looked like marble. She approached the tall, heavy doors, and wrapped her hands around the handles. She tugged softly, hope rising in her chest when she felt it give slightly, which quickly burned off when the door stopped budging. It was locked.  _Of course_ it was locked. Because nothing could ever be easy. Cursing softly, she heard people shifting out of charging pods already. Anxiety riled up in her throat, creating a lump in her throat as if she were going to cry, and she ran back to the medical ward to check the monitors.

Alien tech was easy to understand after it was explained to her, and each of her patients seemed to be doing well. One of her patients, however, was beginning to wake from his seemingly permanent coma. it was the Arcdonian Doctor, his name was Massik. She made her way over, pushing up her glasses, a little nervously. 

"Who are you?" He asked, voice tired but curious as he began to sit up.

"I'm Elizabeth... Elizabeth Clay." She twisted the engagement ring on her finger. "I'm a human Doctor. You suffered an acid attack." 

"You were with the crew of aliens that landed here." She felt a little odd, being called an alien, but nodded nonetheless. "You were with the Irken."

"Yes, I was."

"Why?" He asked, Elizabeth putting on gloves and grabbing a roll of green bandages. From what she could tell, they were drenched with a base medicine, to neutralize the acid attacks. She began to remove the bandages from his face.

"The Irken is a traitor. A defect. He went against his programming when he fell in love with one of our own, Dib Membrana. He's been nothing but helpful ever since." She began to cleanse his face with a powerful base. "If anyone hates the Irkens, it's him." He looked calculating for a moment, allowing her to tend to his wounds.

"You are no threat to us," He distinguished. 

"Tell that to your commander," She sighed, worry flaring up in her abdomen. "They are all in some sort of simulation right now. God knows what's going on in there." He looked at her, looking as worried as she felt.

"We need to get them out!" She paused, looking at the blue humanoid. 

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"Incredibly! Those simulations are meant for quick and swift extractions! How long have they been under?" 

"A few days. Why? What will happen to them?"

"Humans can't handle intensive simulation without experiencing their bodies wanting to give out. Adrenaline is being pumped through their veins constantly due to extreme fear." She began to wrap him up, trying to calm her shaking hands.

"They will begin to seize due to stress, and eventually their hearts will give out." She finished up, fearful tears gathering in her eyes.

"We need to go, now." Tall Arcdonians walked into the room, and she wiped her tears.

"Elizabeth Clay, you are needed." She nodded softly.

"Can Massik come along? I want to test his motor skills." That was a lie, but she felt incredibly safer with someone on her side staying with her. They nodded their agreement and they went with them, Elizabeth helping Massik get out of the bed. They walked toward the door that she had attempted to open earlier, and her heart began to pick up. The purple Arcdonian pulled a small metal ball from his bracelet, and the handle scanned the symbols engraved in it. To keep her out, no doubt. The doors opened, and her eyes fell upon Brian, who was seizing. She ran froward and grabbed a thin tube, opening up his airway. "I need someone to go to my ship," She said, forcing herself to remain calm. "Get all the Phenobarbital, Clonazepam, and Diazepam you can find. Now!" She began to check everyone's vitals, wondering why the monitors weren't going off. "Your people have a higher blood pressure," She deduced.

"Why does that matter?" Massik asked. She motioned for him to come over to her. He did as she told, and she took his hand, placing his fingers on the pulse point on her wrist. "What is that?" He pressed, mildly concerned.

"That is my heart beating, pumping blood through one of my major arteries. She took his hand and pressed it to Brian's wrist pulse point.

"It's racing," He said, catching on.

"The adrenaline speeds up the heart. Normally, that's good, it means that our cardiovascular system is working well. However, this much adrenaline causes major stress and paranoia, which can induce seizures." He nodded in understanding as the Arcdonians came back in with I.V. bags. She put an I.V. needle into Brian's arm, hooking it up to a bag of Phenobarbital. He began to calm, and she looked at the aliens. "I need to do the same with the rest of them, otherwise they are all going to seize. Let me stop the problem before it gets worse." They looked apprehensive.

"The monitor alarms are not going off."

"And just how many hearts do you have?"

"Seven."

"That's why. We only have one." They looked to Massik.

"Is the human telling the truth?"

"Yes," He said. "I would like her help in the medical bay, as well. She saved my life despite not knowing much not knowing much about alien tech. She is invaluable."

"Go ahead, Doctor Clay." She nodded and busied herself with getting the I.V. needles into their arms, then connecting the bags to the end of it. She watched their vitals go back down, and she relaxed. Letting out a breath of relief, she leaned a pressed a kiss to Dennis's head. "That's enough." She nodded once more and let him be without resistance. She walked out, Massik following behind her.

"Who is he to you?" Massik asked.

"My husband," She said, softly. "He's got a son... I'm worried about him..."

"We could always transmit to him."

"Eli doesn't need to see this..." Her thoughts wandered to Gaz, suddenly wondering if she was still connected. She held back a grin. Gas is smart enough to get them help. She looked to Massik. "We need to check on the patients. I'm fairly sure that Bicca needs surgery, but I don't want to perform without a Doctor of the Arcdonians leading me through it."

"Understandable," He said.  "I will be glad to teach you Arcdonian medical practices."

"In return, I will teach you human medical practices." Massik grinned. 

"Sounds like a fair trade to me." They arrived back in the medical ward, and got to work.

 

Gaz was getting worried. They should have been back by now. But she didn't ask for help until large, humanoid creatures with blue, green, and purple skin began to look through the ship, muttering about Eliza and her not being qualified enough to order them around. She disconnects the Skype call and ran downstairs to her father. She, admittedly, wasn't as good at hacking as her brother and father. She did better with intimidation and brute force. So, she found him hovering over a piece of paper, pen in hand as he worked on a particularly hideous equation.

"Papa?" She asked, worry in her voice. He looked up, their golden eyes meeting. It was still odd to see him without goggles, much more without a lab coat or gloves, as he did now. She always wondered why he kept those on, and she realized it was to keep them from realize that he and Dib really did look scary identical, except Dib had more scars and glasses. She'd always wondered why Dib was never allowed to have contacts until now. He was even beginning to grown out his hair again, so it wasn't just the scythe. He looked far less intimidating, now.

"Si, mija?" He asked, setting down his pen. Little actions like that caught her off guard. She had been so used to him not looking at her, not setting aside his work to take care of her. Hell, when she was a kid, even when she got sick, he would still go to work. Dib had to take care of her until she could take care of herself. But nowadays, he would take Sundays off and get home before seven to spend time with her. She was glad to have her father back. But now wasn't the time to be thinking about that.

"I think something is wrong. Squadron Victor hasn't come back, and I saw these aliens in the ship-" Membrane stood up and took her hand, leading her to the lab.

"We need to contact Greenwell," He said, punching in the code before the door unlocked and opened. They walked in and approached a tall computer which vaguely reminded her of Zim's base. Membrane released her hand and walked toward the keyboard, beginning to type away until Greenwell popped up upon the screen suddenly. 

"We need to make this more difficult to hack," They said, holding Mai in their arms and feeding the small baby. "How can I help you, Professor?" Membrane set his jaw. He was upset that his son was in there, hurt, or worse. If something happened to his son, Greenwell has made one Hell of an enemy of him.

"Greenwell, we've got a problem."

**Author's Note:**

> For sneak peeks an updates on Absolution, follow me on my Tumblr; gatewaygeek.


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